Coffee with a Journalist

In this week's episode of "Coffee with a Journalist," Aaron Monk, a freelance writer and AI contributor at Observer, joins as a guest. Aaron delves into how ChatGPT ignited his passion for artificial intelligence writing. He shares insights on the types of pitches and sources he prefers, offering valuable advice for PR professionals from AI startups on how to effectively engage with him.

Claire Stern Milch is digital director at ELLE. During the episode, Claire discusses why she appreciates in person pitch meetings, subject lines that piqued her interest, tips for follow up etiquette, and more.

Todd Plummer is a freelance writer with bylines in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and more. During today's episode, Todd discusses his career background as an attorney and writer, what he wants PR people to understand when pitching him, and his own process for pitching stories and staying organized.

Jillian Quint is the editor-in-chief at PureWow, which covers all things regarding women's lifestyle. During the episode, Jillian discusses PureWow's coverage and mission to empower women, how she organizes her inbox as an editor-in-chief, effective pitching strategies, the value of expert opinions and more.

Radhika Seth is British Vogue's film and culture editor. During the episode, Radhika discusses the beauty of advocacy through fashion journalism, why simplicity is an underrated PR strategy, her dream sources, and more!

Nathan Burrow is the senior deals editor at Wirecutter, the product reviews and recommendations department of The New York Times. During the episode, Nathan discusses how Wirecutter identifies and recommends the best products on the market, his goal to always serve his readers in his coverage, ways to craft a winning subject line, and more.

Our guest on today’s episode of Coffee with a Journalist is Tanner Saunders. Tanner is the senior hotels reporter at The Points Guy, and covers how to redeem travel points for maximum value, the latest and greatest in credit cards and perks, and scenic stays around the globe to check out. During the episode, Tanner discusses his history in travel reporting and what TPG's beat reporters cover, how he builds a symbiotic relationship with publicists, and what travel story angles and trends are most compelling right now. Let's dive in!

Our guest on today's episode of Coffee with a Journalist is Sam Cole, journalist and cofounder at 404 Media. During the episode, Sam discusses 404 Media, its coverage, and its founding in 2023, what makes a great PR relationship for her, and pointers for email and pitch etiquette.

Our guest on today’s episode of Coffee with a Journalist is Cloey Callahan, Senior Reporter at WorkLife, part of Digiday. Cloey covers how modern workplaces and workforces are changing across culture, technology, talent, leadership, spaces, diversity, equity & inclusion. During the episode, Cloey discusses how to get front of the line status in her email inbox, the power of data in storytelling, how to optimize pitches for SEO, and so much more.

Our guest on today’s episode of Coffee with a Journalist is Rebecca Pifer, Senior Reporter at Healthcare Dive. Rebecca covers the business of healthcare with a focus on health insurers and public policy. During the episode, Rebecca discusses the nuances of healthcare journalsm, the instances where it's ok to ping her multiple times with an idea, and the ideal elements of a standout subject line. Hint, it's all about short, sweet, direct, and relevant.

Elisabeth Sherman is this week's guest on the show, and she's an associate editor at Parents whose expertise focuses on family, parenting, internet culture, food and drink, and entertainment. During the episode, Elisabeth walks us through what she recommends PRos do before pitching her, the nuances of pitching a product versus expert commentary, how she keeps her inbox organized in her new role, and more.

Stephanie Palazzolo is an AI reporter at The Information covering artificial intelligence startups, VCs, tech giants and research. Stephanie also writes AI Agenda, The Information's daily newsletter. During today's episode, Stephanie walks us through her background in tech investment banking, the sources and stories she's currently most interested in, and her favorite resources and reading material for staying up to date on AI. Let's get after it!

This week on the show, we welcome Iris Goldsztajn morning editor at Marie Claire. During the episode, Iris discusses her role in celebrity news and women's lifestyle coverage, the intricacies of managing a high volume of PR pitches, her preferences for specific types of pitches, and the nuances of working independently in a demanding field.

Sarah Allard is a digital director at Conde Nast Traveller. During the episode, Sarah discusses how her role has shifted from writing to strategy and planning, what catches her eye in a travel pitch, the types of stories she helps Condé Nast Traveller tell, and what it's like working with a global journalism team. Let's get into it!

We sat down with Taylor Crumpton, freelance writer with bylines in TIME, Essence, Grammy.com, Pitchfork, Marie Claire, and more for today's Coffee with a Journalist episode. During the episode, Taylor discusses her take on going viral, her collaborative approach to working with publicists, strategies for networking and building relationships with purpose, and what she's currently focused on in coverage.

This week on the podcast, we sit down with Kelsey Ramirez, an associate, strategic initiatives, at Fox Business, where she edits the team’s coverage about personal finance. During the episode, Kelsey discusses her strategy for managing and prioritizing emails using color-coded tags, what she likes to see in a subject line, timing preferences for exclusives, and her favorite newsletters for staying inspired and on top of the latest headlines.

Our guest on today’s episode of Coffee with a Journalist is Joni Sweet, freelancer writer covering travel, health, and wellness with bylines in Forbes, National Geographic, TIME, Trip Savvy, Lonely Planet, and more. During the episode, Joni discusses her relationship to PR folks and pitches, including a preference for personalization, how she organizes her work with a busy inbox, and what effective PR engagement looks like for her. Let's dive in to the conversation!

Our guest on today’s episode of Coffee with a Journalist is Anthony L. Fisher. Anthony is the senior opinion editor and a columnist for The Daily Beast, and also writes the “Calling Balls and Strikes” newsletter on Substack. During the episode, Anthony discusses his strategies for managing pitches, the Daily Beast's style preferences, and insight into his role, workflow, and time management strategies. Let's get into it!

Our guest on today's episode of Coffee with a Journalist is Beth Gilette. Beth is a beauty editor at Cosmopolitan where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. During today's episode, Beth discusses her go-to e-mail organization tactics (hello folders and specific rules), her favorite story she's ever written and how it came to be, as well as why sit-downs with PR pros help her learn more about who they represent, and how they tick, and vice versa.

Our guest on today’s episode of Coffee with a Journalist is Ilona Limonta-Volkova, host of Money Memories, an NPR podcast, and contributing writer on fintech at Forbes. During the episode, Ilona discusses her podcast and the types of guests she features, plus her dream guest, the art of staying pithy in pitching, and the best way to connect with her.